Aircraft History
Built by Boeing at Seattle.

Wartime History
Assigned to the 19th Bombardment Group, 40th Bombardment Squadron. Nicknamed "San Antonio Rose II".

On February 19, 1942 took off from Darwin piloted by Lt. Clarance L. McPherson leading a flight of 33rd Pursuit Squadron P-40E Warhawks, but due to bad weather, this B-17 proceeded alone to to Koepang Airfield.

On March 16, 1942 one of four B-17s took off from Batchelor Field near Darwin piloted by Captain Henry Godman with co-pilot Lt. Richard C. Carlisle on a mission to fly northward to Del Monte Airfield on Mindanao to rescue General Douglas MacArthur, his family and senior staff. At Del Monte Airfield, this B-17 was used by General Douglas MacArthur and his family for the evacuation flight southward to Batchelor Field.

Royce Mission
In the middle of April 1942 took off from Batchelor Field near Darwin piloted by Frank Bostrom on a flight northward to Del Monte Airfield on Mindanao to stage for the Royce Mission. On April 12-13, 1942 took off from Del Monte Airfield flying bombing missions against Japanese targets in the Philippines.

On April 13, 1942 after flying the morning mission, this B-17 was parked at Del Monte Airfield and was spotted by a F1M2 Pete that released a 60kg bomb that hit the bomber and destroyed it on the ground.

References
One source notes this B-17 as "Destroyed on ground Del Monte, PI late March 1942"
Fortress Against The Sun page 156-157, 164-165, 385
Darwin's Air War (Revised Edition) page 31
Doomed At The Start page ?

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Last Updated
December 15, 2019